All this team needs....

I think what you're saying is fair, but at the same time, this team can't be built completely with kids. They have to import some top tier talent, and I think they should aim higher than the forwards you mentioned.

Even if Strome turns out to be the real deal, it's reasonable to assume that he won't be a legit 1st line talent right away. Ditto on De Haan. It's time to start winning & while I'm really excited for Strome & a # of other prospects, they're still a couple years away from making major impacts on the club.

I thought this past season was the season they needed to add a big UFA/trade or 2. But if not this year, then definitely next year. I understand it's hard to attract UFAs here, but that's why they have to trade some pieces for top talent.

I really appreciate Moulson & Parenteau, but they're 2nd & 3rd line players. They have to make dramatic upgrades to at least 1 of those spots. I think they have to aim higher than guys like Versteeg. I wouldn't mind having him here, but like MM & PAP he's really more of a 2nd/3rd line player. Hemsky would be great, but I think the Isles need more of a goal scorer than a playmaker for JT. Plus it would be difficult getthing him to go from the Oilers to the Oilers East. Unless they make the playoffs that is. And there in lies one of the many problems with UFAs. They just don't want to come here.

We have all of this amateur talent. They have to think about unloading some of it for established players. It's the only way to get the top players to come here. Don't worry about getting Ryan Smyth'd again. Make the moves neccessary to improve the team & UFAs will take notice.

I was always infavor of this rebuild & I think it's come along quite nicely. But I never imagined that besides for Streit, the best established skater the Isles brought in would be Bill Guerin & Doug Weight at the ends of their ropes. Where is this clubs Bobby Ryan, Millan Lucic, Alex Burrows, Mike Cammaleri, Danny Brier, or Marrian Hossa?

We're 9 or whatever games into this season and only 6 forwards have scored a goal. 1 of them being Matt Martin who isn't relied on to score. Where is that established winger to help out? At the rate they're going, the team will be lucky to get 30 goals out of the combination of Neilsen, Okposo, Comeau & Bailey. Somethings gotta change.

I totally agree with what you are saying. If I was owner/GM I would make an overpayment to a UFA like Semin or something to get that experience, however this team does not overpay like that nor do they make trades to get those players. So by default the kids are our future hole fillers, and if any of them turn out to be like Bailey we will continue in the lottery.

I think Matt Carle would be incredible on this team, but Philly will find a way to keep him.

I don't think they need more, but I think they need different, if that makes sense. I'm just not sold on the mix of players right now. Individually, I like the players and respect their talent. As a group, they've just been a bit too soft -- in that they lose battles along the boards a lot, and can't outmuscle other teams' forwards and d-men. Our second line of Grabner-Nielsen-Okposo...when KO gets going, it'll be great to have him digging out pucks, but he doesn't have help there. It's not really Nielsen's game, and Grabner rarely gets physical fighting for pucks. The first line has Tavares digging pucks out and distributing them when he'd be far more useful having someone else dig those pucks out and distributing it to him, but that player does not exist on that line. The third line has no presence along the boards. The fourth line does, but has no one to finish. I don't want this to come across as doom and gloom. As I said, I like these players and see the skill. But they could really use more players that are at home in the trenches doing the dirty work, maybe at the expense of some of the skilled perimeter passers that they have. It would help the forecheck immensely.

On D, it's the same. They have players that can block shots and keep forwards to the outside. But no one's out there outmuscling the forwards along the boards, or simply knocking people on their butts. Individually, I have no issue with the players back there. The mix, once again, is simply not physical enough.

Or Snow could just slightly blow up things a bit without majorly going off track, for example, with moves like the following:

- Bailey, Comeau, & de Haan to EDM for Paarjarvi, Gagner, & Marincin
- Okposo and Wishart to ANA for Sbisa and Palmieri
- Rolston and Eaton to MON for Gomez, Weber and 2nd rounder

If these moves were possible (and I see reasons why each team would do them), does anyone think they'd be good and could they lead to this team being better in the course of the season and in the long run?

I still think they need a top4 Dman. Another Dman of that calibur would change a lot of problems on the ice. All of a sudden when the Off. turns the puck over someone is ready to give it back to them. This would also help the young guns on Off. develop without fear of making a mistake. But I feel that the Isles would have to make a package that includes a 1st rnd draft pick. I would be willing to do it but a top talent would have to come back to the Isles. And which team would bite? Not sure.